Football target game apparatus



1953 H. E. KENNEY EI'AL 2,647,747

FOOTBALL TARGET GAME APPARATUS Filed March 15, 1950 IIIIIIIIIfifiI IN VENTORS Hneow E Kenna-v Anna/v0.11 55101.51:

ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 4, 1 953 Harold E. Kenney'and Armond H. Seidler,

- I Urbana, Ill.

Application March 15, 1950, Serial No. 149,824

This invention relates to a game, and more particularly to agame boardand associated elements,j' including a b-all, adaptedifor use in the playing of a game on a game field, either indoor oroutdoor. a

An important object of the invention is to provide a novel apertured board" adapted to be suitably supported at eac end ofthe playing field to serve .asgoals, it being the object to throw a ball of substantial size, and preferably a conventional football, at the game board to score points by the passing-of the ball through the aperture in the board. v

A further object is to provide such a board which lends itself particularly well to the playing of 'a wholly new type of field game wherein a the ball employed is preferably a football which is advanced by players of two teams through the medium of passing the ball from player to player and ultimately throwing the ball after the mannor of a forward pass in football, in an effort to place the ball in the'goalformed by an opening in the, game board particularly designed for use with a ballof the typereferred to.

A' further object is" tofibrovide a novel type of game board having a sleeve of fabric or other flexible material rearwardly of the goal opening and against which the ball strikes when a goal is .scoredto cushion'and stop the forward movement of the ball and drop-it to the playing floor or field to be put back into play. v

iAtfurther ob-jectis to providesuch a game board which lends itself very readily to use in conjunction with the hoop of a basketball net, whereby such hoop may be employed as the sole supportingmeans for the game board.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following description, I

In the drawing,- we have shown one embodiment of the invention; In this showing, a

Figure 1 is a face view of one of the goal boards, 4

Figure 2 is a plan view of thesame showing it supported with relation to a basketball backstop Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of the board,

Figure 4 is avertical section on lined-4 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a detailed sectional view showing a portion of the sleeve and a snaphook for connecting-itto the-bracket arms, and Q Figure 6 isa' detailed perspective view of a balladapted'particularly for usein playing theame; and preferably a regulation football.

10 claims. (01. 273-95) Referring to the drawing, the numeral 10 des ignates a goal board as a whole formed of any suitable strong rigid material, preferably of such nature that it will not warp, splinter, crack or bulge. In the preferred practice of the game, wherein standards or regulations are adopted, for uniformity in the practice of the game, the

board I 0 preferably will be made rectangular and will be four feet high and five feet long with v the corners rounded as at I l on a six-inch radius.

It will be understood, of course, that one of the,

boards is used at each end of the playing field to provide one goal for each team.

' The board H] is provided with a central opening [2, which is also rectangular. In Figure 6,v

we have generally indicated a conventional football it which is preferably used in the playing, of the game and the ball is thrown under conditions to be described in an effort to pass it through the opening I 2 of one of the game boards. The ball most efiiciently is thrown after the manner of forward passing in footballby being spiralled and thrown with its long axis substantially horizontal and along the path of travel of the ball, and when so thrown, the

player making the throw will be more certain of being able to pass the ball through the opening l2. After substantial experimentation, it has been determined that the opemng 12 should be two feet high and three feet wide, with the corners curved as at l5 on a six-inch radius. Thus the opening I2 is preferably of a height approximately three times the diameter of the ball and is of a length approximately three times the length of the ball. When so proportioned, substantial skill is required for scoring a goal when the game is played in the manner generally described below.

The back of each board I0 is suitably braced as at I7 and I8, and preferablyto each of thevertical braces I8 is secured the adjacent end of a bracket arm I9. These arms converge away from the board l0 to a contacting point 20 where they are preferably welded together. Beyond this point, the bracket arms diverge as at 2! and tar-- minate in upwardly opening end hooks 22 for a purpose to be described.

Each of the bracket arms l9 carries a plurality of rings 25 loosely slidable therealong. To the back of the board [0 adjacent each side thereof is fixed a split ring 26. The rings 25 and 26 are adapted to support rearwardly of the board H] a sleeve 28 which may be formed of canvas, plastic, or any other flexible material. This sleeve is open at the top and bottom as shown in Figure 4',

but is of closed section as at 29 below the opening 12 in the board and the sleeve preferably extends approximately six inches below the board [0. Below the rings 26 may be arranged hooks 30 for a purpos to be described.

The upper edge of the sleeve 28 is provided with a plurality of spaced grommets 32 through each of which, except as noted below, passes a ring 33 forming the lower part of a conventional snap hook 34. All of these snap hooks areadapted to engage in the rings 25 carried by the bracket arms 19. The forward grommet 33 at each side of the sleeve is adapted to be engaged in the split ring 26, which may be clamped closed, thus holding the top front portion of the sleeve firmly and close to the board Ill. The hooks all may be engaged in additional grommets 35 at the front edges of the sleeve 28.

Any suitable means, such as posts, brackets, etc., may be employed for supporting the board I 9. However, the bracket arms l9 are particularly adapted to serve the double function of supporting the sleeve 28 and of supporting the game board relative to a basketball backstop. Referring to Figures 2 and l, the numeral 35 designates the back board of a basketball goal forwardly of which is supported by conventional means 3! the usual basket ring 38. In using the present invention, the basket will be removed from the ring and the bracket arms [9 will be extended across the top of the ring 38 and the hooks 22 will be engaged beneath the ring 38 near the back thereof as shown in Figures 2 and 4. The device is so designed that the front of the ring 38 engages the back of the board Ill adjacent the top of the opening l2 when the bracket arms it are supported on the ring 38 and the hooks 22 are engaged beneath the ring 38. This forms a solid support for the board l0.

Operation It is unnecessary to describe in detail the playing field or the exact rules which have been adopted in the playing of the game. Generally speaking, the game is started from the center of the held by tossing the ball upwardly between the centers of the two teams, and the center striking the ball will attempt to knock it into the hands of one of his teammates, who must pass the ball laterally to another player, other than the center. Thereafter, the player in possession of the ball cannot carry it toward the goal, but may move laterally or away from the goal while carrying the ball. The advancing toward the goal, except when a goal throw is made, must be by way of passing the ball from one player to another.

A player desiring to attempt a goal will grasp the ball in the same manner that the ball is held in the throwing of a forward pass in football, the ball used in the present game being preferably a regulation football, ovate in shape. The throw is preferably made by spiralling the ball forwardly as nearly horizontally as possible. In the regulation playing of the game, the lower edge of the opening 12 will be eight feet above the playing field, and if the ball is thrown in the desired manner, the trajectory of the ball will be nearly horizontal. The advantages of throwing the ball in the manner described will be obvious, it requiring greater accuracy in the throwing of the ball if the latter wobbles in its movement or travels in any manner other than spiralling flight with the axis of the ball horizontal. The throwing of the ball in this manner is one of the skills which must be developed in the playing of the game as well as accuracy in the direction of throwing. If the 4 ball is thrown properly, but with such slight inaccuracy that the center of the ball will approach the opening 12 near one corner thereof, the ball may pass through the opening, whereas it would strike the edges of the opening 12 if the ball travels in any other manner.

Whether a player fails in a goal throw, or is successful, th defensive team is then given possession of the ball behind its own goal line. In this connection, it will be noted that the board [0 is behind the goal line so that the ball must be thrown in order to pass through the opening I2. Many other rules have been adopted for the regulation playing of the game, but these need not be specifically discussed. Balls passing through the opening l2 are scored in accordance with adopted regulations, and the ball striking the back of the sleeve 28 will be brought to a cushioned stop and will drop through the bottom of the sleeve 28 to return to the floor or playing field so that it may be put back into play.

We claim:

1. A game goal com rising a substantially vcrtical board having an opening through which a ball is adapted to be thrown, a structure fixed to said board above said opening and projecting substantially horizontally rearwardly thereof, and a sleeve suspended from said structure and open at its front for the reception of a ball passing through said opening, said sleeve having a wall portion rearwardly or said opening and at least coextensive therewith to cushion a ball striking thereagainst, and the bottom of said sleeve being open whereby the ball is adapted to fall through the bottom of said sleeve.

2. A game comprising a substantial vertical board having an opening through which a ball is adapted to be thrown, a flexible sleeve arranged behind said board and open in the front for the reception of the ball passing through said opening, Said sleeve having a back wall portion behind and wholly spaced from said opening to cushion the ball striking 'the'reagainst, and said sleeve having an open lower end through which the ball is adapted to fall, and an ovate ball adapted to be thrown through said opening, said opening being horizontally elongated whereby the chance that said ball of ovate shape will pass through said opening will be increased if the ball is thrown with its long axis substantially horizontal.

3. A game comprising a substantially vertical board havin an o ening through which a ball is adapted to be thrown, a flexible sleeve arranged behind said board and open in the front for the reception of the ball passing through said opening, said sleeve having a back wall portion behind and spaced from said opening to cushion the ball striking thereagainst, and said sleeve having an open lower end through which the ball is adapted to fall, and an ovate ball adapted to be thrown toward said opening, said opening being roughly three times the length of said ball in its horizontal dimension and. roughly three times the diameter of said ball in its vertical di mension whereby the chance that said ball will pass through said opening will be materially increased if the ball is thrown with its long axis substantially horizontal.

4. A game goal comprising a substantially vertical board having an opening through which a ball is adapted to be thrown, a support, a horizontal structure fixed to said board rearwardly thereof and above said opening and engageable with said siipport to support said board, and a.

flexible sleeve suspended from said structure,

said sleeve being open in the front back of said opening to receive a ball thrown through said opening, said sleeve having back wall portions at least coextensive in width and said opening to cushion a ball striking hereagainst below said support, and said sleeve being open at he bottom so that the ball will drop therethrough.

5. A game goal constructed in accordance with claim 4 wherein said support, within the horizontal limits of said sleeve, is arranged wholly above said opening, the portion of said structure adjacent said board bearing on the top of said support and the portion of said structure remote from said board being engaged beneath said support.

6. A game goal constructed in accordance with claim 4 wherein said support, within the limits of said sleeve, is arranged wholly above said opening and comprises a horizontal ring, the portion of said structure adjacent said board bearing on the top of said ring and the portion of said structure remote from said board engaging beheath said ring.

7. A game goal constructed in accordance with claim 4 wherein said support, within the limits of said sleeve, is arranged wholly above said opening and comprises a horizontal ring, said structure comprising rearwardly converging arms the forward ends of which are fixed to said board above and outwardly of the limits of said opening, said arms remote from said board being fixed to each other and terminating in hooks engageable beneath said ring.

8. A game goal comprising a substantially vertical board having an opening therethrough for the passage of a ball thrown toward said opening, a support, a structure fixed to said board above said opening and engaging said support to fix said board in position, said structure comprising a pair of arms, rings slidable on said arms, and a flexible sleeve arranged rearwardly of said board and having an open front rear- Wardly of said opening to receive a ball thrown through said opening, said sleeve having rear wall portions at least coextensive in height and width with said opening to cushion the action of a ball striking thereagainst and said sleeve beopen at the bottom for the dropping of the ball therethrough, the upper forward portions of said sleeve being fixed to said board, and means for connecting the upper edge portions of said sleeve to said rings.

9. A game goal constructed in accordance with 8 wherein said support comprises a horizontal ring arranged in a plane above the top of opening, said arms being fixed at one end to said board above and outwardly of said opening converging away from said board, said arms adjacent said board bearing on the top of said ring and having their opposite ends provided with hooks engageable beneath said ring, said board contacting with said ring to fix said board against movement toward said ring.

A game comprising a substantially vertical board having an opening of greater horizontal length than height through which an ovate ball is adapted to be thrown, and a sleeve suspended rearwardly of opening and depending therebelow, said sleeve being open at its front in registration with said opening for the passage into said sleeve of the hall passing through said opening, said sleeve, rearwardly of said board, having back Wall portions converging away from said board, and means for supporting said sleeve in position in such shape, the bottom of said sleeve being open for the passage of the ball therethrough.

HAROLD E. KENNEY. ARMOND I-I. SEIDLER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 507,098 Bates Oct. 24, 1393 742,927 Stults Nov. 3, 1903 1,510,402 Hopwood Sept. 30, 1924 2,021,989 De Master Nov. 26, 1935 2,039,794 Hayden May 5, 1936 2,125,679 Longstreet Aug. 2, 1938 

